| Behind her as she went she could hear the singing beginShe knew what would follow in the sheltering hollows and the darkness of that field after an Ember victoryElena felt her pulse accelerate with the very thoughtShe could guess what Mattio's face would have revealed as she walked away from him into the river and then acrossIn her heart she offered him an apology, but her stride as she went did not falter, and then, halfway to the hill, she began to run, suddenly afraid for the man she sought, and for herself, alone in all this wide dark emptiness
Baerd was sitting on the crown of the hill, where the chanel messenger bags shadow-figure had stood in front of the setting moon just before he fledHe glanced up as she approached, and a queer, frightened expression flickered for an instant across his face in the starlit dark
Elena stopped, uncertain
"It is only me," she said, trying to catch her breath
He was silent a moment"I'm sorry," he said"I wasn't expecting anyonefor a moment you looked almost exactly like a like something I saw once as a boySomething that changed my life
Elena didn't know what to say to thatShe had thought no further than getting hereNow that she had found him she was suddenly unsure of herself againShe sat yacht master rolex down on the dead earth facing himHe watched her, but said nothing else
She took a deep breath and said, bravely, "You should have expected someoneYou should have known that I would come She swallowed hard, her heart pounding
For a long moment Baerd was very still, his head tilted a little to one side, as if listening to the echo of her wordsIt lit up his young, too thin face and the hollow, wounded eyes
"Thank you," he said"Thank you for that, Elena It was the first time he'd used her nameIn the distance they could hear the singing from the cornfieldOverhead the stars were almost impossibly bright in the white chanel purse black arch of the sky
Elena felt herself flushingShe glanced down and away from his direct gazeShe said, awkwardly, "After all, it is dangerous here in the dead lands, and you wouldn't have knownNot having been here beforeYou wouldn't even know how to get back home
"I have an idea," he said gravely"I imagine we have until sunriseAnd in any case, these aren't the dead lands anymoreWe won them back tonightElena, look at the ground where you walked
She turned to look backAnd caught her breath in wonder and delight to see that along the path she'd taken to this hill white flowers were blooming in what had been louis vuitton replicas handbags barren earth
Even as she watched she saw that the flowers were spreading in all directions from where she had passedTears sprang to her eyes and spilled over, gliding unheeded down her cheeks, making her vision blurShe had seen enough though, she understoodThis was the Earth's response to what they had done tonightThose delicate white flowers coming to life under the stars were the most beautiful things she had seen in all her days
Quietly, Baerd said, "You have caused this, ElenaYou must teach Donar and Carenna and the others thisWhen you win the Ember war it is not only a matter of holding the line of rolex watches ladies battle |
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